menton1

I believe any library will issue a card while you wait, in 5 minutes, Rosie. Just go in to the one in the town where you reside. And, also on this list is Anthony David's in Hoboken, and Cafe Matisse in Rutherford. Not places where you would expect to see a discount!

The Bergen County Library System is celebrating 25 years of existence by coordinating with over 35 restaurants in the county by offering no-strings discounts for the month of May. Just present your library card, and they take 15% right off the bill. Some decent places on the list, including the Egullet-much-revered China 46 in Ridgefield! Participating Restaurant List

The best thing about the Sergeantsville Inn is the beautiful little village, and the historic structure that it inhabits. (Over 200 years old) This pastoral area was settled by Green Sergeants, a Revolutionary hero, back in the good old days. Also the only covered bridge in NJ is there. I know the restaurant was closed for about 4 years, and news about the new managment has been spotty, and your disappointing report adds credence to those reviews. (I've been instructed by the locals that you pronounce "Sergeantsville" the way it's spelled, unlike the army rank of "Sergeant". )

Thanks for this, Roger-- also expanded details about both of these places on the link I provided above.

Last winter, on a very cold Friday night, we arrived in Old City late and looked for parking around Chloe for about 20 minutes. We found a spot, brought our lovely wine, and shivered in at 9:05. The waitress informed us that because of the cold weather, they had closed the kitchen 5 minutes before our arrival and could not serve us. (They normally seat on Fridays until 9:45) The place was about 80% full, so they had tables available and seemed to be doing a brisk business in spite of the weather. We fumed out, put the wine in the car, and had a nice meal at Serrano nearby (Still a long walk in the cold!) No matter how good their food is touted to be, Chloe will never see us at their place again! What unprofessional and infurating behavior for a restaurant!

Sounds like a great place to do some personal celebrating, Mick... I think Robert Brown might have the best input on this; in the meantime, here is a list of all the artisan bakers in the Nice area-- you might call to see if they use the methods you are looking for. Boulangeries in Nice Hope the weather gets better-- saw the opening of the Cannes Film Fest on the TV and the weather was damp and chilly Wed.

Costco has very high ceilings, too, but neither of these places look like a supermarket... P.S. International Food is actually in Lodi. (Right on the border)

For those of us who love China 46 (I guess that's most of us) they are having a great discount special for the month of May-- If you just present your library card from any library in Bergen County (BCCLS System) they will immediately take 15% right off the check. Something to do with their supporting the 25th anniversary of the Bergen County Library system. P.S. Don't forget to tip based on the total before the discount...

They always did! In the 80s, the differences were quite dramatic-- today, the gap is much narrower between the 2 countries. It started to close when they held the Barcelona Olympics...

Republic has a website-- what about an email campaign telling them of our negative feelings toward them? How can we get the New York Eg contingent involved in this as well-- Jason, Rachel, any ideas? Republic Website?

That's why the British system sounds so appealing... over there, the loser has to pay the legal fees for the other side! (Sounds like they have much fewer frivolous lawsuits, which this one certainly is!!)

Craig, have a great time. I think I would say that in the case of Bordeaux, it is a pleasant place but not nearly as vibrant or interesting as Toulouse. But please report to us here about your experiences!! A la prochaine!

Bux, wouldn't you agree that Michel Sarran is world-renowned for his restaurant in Toulouse? And Dominique Toulousy has received rave reviews as well; And then you have all the middle level places as well, plus a much more distinctive and memorable regional cuisine in the Midi versus the Loire, IMHO.

First of all, the food options in Toulouse are infinitely better than in the Loire Valley; secondly, there are a myriad of tourist options right in Toulouse, depending on your tastes-- lots of Museums, Street Fairs, beautiful Gardens, historic monuments and houses, cultural events, concerts, clubs, etc. In addition, the large University student population makes the place particularly vibrant. You can even tour the giant Aerospatiale factory (outside of town) where they make Airbus airplanes, and where they made the first Concorde; I think anyone could easily fill up 3 or 4 days there; Then you can have your fill of great local cuisine: Toulouse Saucisson, Cassoulet, Romi Duck, Oie Confit, accompanied by some great Gaillac or Frontonnais Wines, and also genuine Roquefort cheese. And the Southwest weather is also delightful in the Fall!!

I'm not an expert on trademark laws, but it would seem to only make sense that the word "Republic" is of such a generic nature that it couldn't be trademarked. Plus there is little doubt that anyone would think that KT's place has anything to do with the restaurant in the city. The sad part is, I'm sure that it will be difficult and costly for KT to fight this lawsuit and she is just a little family business with great food. I do hope it all works out for her, and, that they reopen soon! Perhaps we could start a letter-writing campaign to Republic saying that we will boycott their places if they don't drop the lawsuit! Another David vs. Goliath issue, hope the David wins out!!

The ShopRite on Rte 4 Eastbound in Paramus, just past the Bergen Mall; the aisles are extremely wide, the produce section is cavernous; it is only about 5 years old-- I don't know if the ceilings are super-high, but I assume so. (I never looked up!)

Have you considered trying Harvest Bistro in Closter, a promising new beautiful restaurant in Closter that has gotten pretty good reviews in its infancy from the NY Times, and has already been on TV because of its interior design; It seems most of the NJ Eg contingent has turned a disinterested eye toward this budding new place for no apparent reason. But your interest in Zarole indicates to me that you would also be interested in Harvest Bistro.

Sadly, they were not before mine...

What about Studio 54 and the (gasp!) original Copacabana? (60th and 5th)

I vehemently disagree about Toulouse! I think it is a wonderful choice, the center is anything but industrial, and the Place du Capitole is one of the most vibrant and beautiful main squares in all of France. The "pink city" is really that, with the local stone having this rouge tint that highlights a large portion of the structures there. The Garonne River splits the city in half, and the quais provide remarkable views of the peaceful river. Yes, this is a big city, one of the largest in France, and is a beehive of activity. Lots of cultural activity and excitement, Toulouse is ALIVE!! The most renowned restaurant in Toulouse is Michel Serran, top flight in everything, right in the center. But there will also be lovely mid-class restaurants as well. Be sure to sample genuine Cassoulet here, it's a dish that 3 cities compete for, they all say they are the "original": Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Castelnaudary. I don't remember the differences, but they are all made with lots of beans and duck fat. Very filling. I think you said that touring is secondary to you, but there are some great museums in Toulouse as well as great street markets and beautiful gardens. And if you have a car, day trips to Albi and/or Carcassonne are possible, both about 90 mins. away. I find the Southwest of France much, much more appealing than the Northern regions. But whether it's touring or food that piques your interest, you will not be bored in Toulouse! Stick with your choice, Toulouse will be great!! And please report back to us on your travels!

Craig, any area of France is great as far as I am concerned. (Fervent Francophile) As Robert has said, Reims might be better if you want to stop at the Champagne caves and do a big tasting tour. There will be hundreds of Champagne producers there, big and small. Tours is a big city, the countryside around it is quite pretty, rolling farmland, but the area is dotted with fantastic Chateaux that were luxury homes from days gone by. Some are very touristy, but there are so many that you can also get "off the beaten track" as well. My favorite towns are Chinon and Blois. Some very good Chinon and Vouvray wines in the Touraine area. The Loire and its tributaries (Indre, Vienne) are very lovely, however last year when I was there they were having a drought and the river beds were almost dry. I don't recall much in the way of Art except for the Unicorn Tapestries in Angers. The top restaurant in the region is Jean Bardet, in a beautiful chateau just across the river from the center of Tours. Has received many kudos.

Ratner's had competition on 2nd Avenue, a place called Rappoport's, another dairy restaurant-- great blintzes! In another genre, remember the original TGI Friday's on 1st and 63rd...this was when it was the only one, made giant cocktails and giant burgers! And one block down, across the Avenue, was Maxwell's Plum, "competition" of sorts. Those were the good old days...

As we have discussed at length on a recent long Michelin thread, there just isn't that much information in Michelin anyway. I would much prefer a newspaper review where the prose can be descriptive of all aspects of the dining experience. The little blips and symbols of the Michelin Guide are greatly overrated in Europe, the recent Michelin publicity suggests they place a lot more weight on reputation rather than facts, and, as has been discovered, don't expect them to show up more than once every 3 years or so.

My impression of the Sête area was a lot of industry, a town mainly patronized by the folks from Montpellier seeking waterfront activities. I'm sure it would qualify as a "food desert" with nothing particularly distiguishable, although I'm sure there is some very good food to be had. Looking at this photo, I think I would prefer Cassis or Le Lavandou, they seem much prettier. Sête Waterfront Photo

My favorite coffeehouse in Philadelphia is the Metropolitan Bakery branch on Market street just off Front Street. A beautiful eclectic environment with an Art Gallery of changing exhibits of local artists and various art media to enjoy on the walls, this is a really comfortable place to enjoy their great coffee, breads, pastries, and fabulous granola!! Metropolitan Bakery 128 Market Street Philadelphia